President Jonathan Offered Us $50,000 Bribe, But We Returned It - Pastor Tunde Bakare Confirms

Fiery Lagos-based pastor, Tunde Bakare, has confirmed to Saharareporters that President Goodluck Jonathan proivede a $50, 000 cash bribe to a delegation of the Save Nigeria Group that visisted him last Monday, but that the group sent back the money.


Pastor Bakare’s confirmation came in the midst of a tepid denial of our earlier report by Tony Uranta, one of Mr. Jonathan's political operatives. Uranta had claimed on his Facebook page yesterday that Saharareporters misrepresented the crux of the meeting between the president and the Pastor Bakare-led delegation.

Specifically, Uranta denied that Jonathan discussed his ambition to run for office with the SNG delegation. He also stated that no money was offered to the SNG team and claimed that, contrary to our earlier report, the Bakare group had not asked him to return the bribe money to Jonathan.

But in a telephone interview with Saharareporters on Sunday evening, Pastor Bakare confirmed that the details of our earlier exclusive report were factual and unimpeachable.

Bakare, who has a reputation for speaking out fearlessly on current political issues, affirmed that the Minister of the Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe, had offered the SNG delegation the sum of $50,000 on behalf of President Jonathan. The SNG had met with Jonathan to review his performance in office.

In the phone interview, Pastor Bakare stated categorically that his team was indeed offered money after it submitted a position paper on why it was opposed to the president's ambition to be re-elected. He confirmed that the cash was immediately returned to sender through Uranta, shortly after it was presented to the SNG delegation.

The SNG convener told Saharareporters that his team felt terribly embarrassed and offended by the orchestrated attempt by Jonathan and his team to buy the SNG’s support through illicit means.

An obviously angry Bakare said, “You can quote me. I don't do deals and I don't lie. Tony [Uranta] could be saving his own face. Tony lied that he didn't collect the money from us. There are living witnesses. Orubebe has confirmed to me that the money was returned. Mr. President is aware through Oronto Douglas that we returned his money through Tony.”

Bakare said he, Yinka Odumakin and other SNG officials went to the meeting with Jonathan with a written document that explained why the SNG would not support his candidacy.

“We submitted a document regarding the culture of impunity in which he (Jonathan) continues to swim," he said.

2011: Jonathan Tears Nollywood Apart

As the 2011 general elections draw nearer, the decision of some Nollywood stars to collect N300, 000 each before campaigning for President Goodluck Ebelo Jonathan ambition has torn the Nigerian movie industry apart.

Some of the movie stars have formed a group christened Nollywood Stars for Jonathan, and their aim is to shoot a commercial geared towards campaigning for the President to remain in office for the next four years with the fee of N300, 000 for each of the stars involved in it. But the move seems to have torn the Nollywood stars apart as other popular actors have declined to be part of it.

Those that are currently in the campaign group which is headed by Francis Duru include Uche Jombo, Ini Edo, Paul Adams, Zack Orji, Pete Edochie, Emeka Ike and about 30 others. Most of the actors declined to pick our calls this morning to confirm whether they are involved or not.

Speaking with us on phone yesterday, the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Segun Arinze, said he is not part of the move.

“I heard of it but I’m not involved. It is not that I’m against President Jonathan’s ambition, but doing it for a price is what I’m not comfortable with. I wish those involved good luck.”

Also, the Governor, Lagos State Chapter of AGN, Ernest Obi, denied his involvement in the project.

He is also of the opinion that if President Jonathan deserves the support of Nollywood practitioners, they should do so without putting a price tag on it.

A spokesperson of Square Image, the outfit in charge of Stella Damasus-Nzeribe’s image, said the sultry actress is also not part of the project.

“Stella is more of a role model and will not do that, though that doesn’t mean she is not in support of President Jonathan’s ambition. When the time for election comes, she will vote for the candidate of her choice without making any noise about it,” Square Image said.

The decision by some Nollywood stars to campaign for the President with a fee has attracted criticisms from Nigerians, who claimed that as role models, the movie stars should not be directly involved in politics, and if they must do so, not because a candidate is ready to part with some money.

“In America, Hollywood and other showbiz stars drummed their support for President Barack Obama during his campaign, and none of them received a dime for doing that. So I don’t know why our own stars here cannot emulate good things. Does that mean they can’t support other good candidates that don’t have money?” Femi Adebodun, a movie buff asked.




Story by Bayo Adetu

No Jonathan, No Sex! - Women group vows...

African Women in Diaspora threatened to go on a seven-day sex strike if Jonathan does not publicly declare his interest in the 2011 election by Friday, August 27, 2010. The group issued the threat in a press statement signed by the Communications Officer of the group, Mrs. Patricia Oreremi Badejo after their inaugural meeting.
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Just 7 days without sex? You should be doing at least 6 months..you nymphos!
Ha ha ha!
Seriously how does starving your husband/boyfriend affect Jonathan Goodluck's political ambition e kwanu?
They need a new creative director abeg...lol